Standard therapy for mesothelioma is a combination of the drugs pemetrexed and cisplatin. However, the benefits of this treatment are limited, and in most treated patients the disease continues to worsen.

SS1(dsFV)PE38 is a genetically engineered drug. It contains an antibody that binds to a certain protein on mesothelioma cells and a toxin (type of poison) made from a product of a bacterium called Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It is hoped that the antibody will attach to the cancer cells, allowing the toxin to enter and kill the cells.

Objectives:

To find out if SS1(dsFV)PE38, together with pemetrexed and cisplatin is safe and tolerable in patients with mesothelioma.

To determine the maximum tolerated dose of SS1(dsFV)PE38 (the highest dose that does not cause unacceptable side effects).

To see if SS1(dsFV)PE38 given with pemetrexed and cisplatin has any effect on patients tumors.

To learn how the body breaks down SS1(dsFV)PE38.

Eligibility:

Patients 18 years of age and older with epithelial pleural mesothelioma whose disease cannot be cured with surgery, and have not had prior treatment with chemotherapy.

Design:

Treatment with pemetrexed, cisplatin and SS1(dsFV)PE38 in two 21-day cycles as follows:

Day 1 - Intravenous (through a vein) infusions of pemetrexed and cisplatin.

Days 1 and 2 - Intravenous solution to prevent dehydration that might occur with SS1(dsFV)PE38.

Days 1, 3 and 5 Intravenous infusion of SS1(dsFV)PE38. Small groups (3 to 6) of patients are given SS1(dsFV)PE38 at a certain dose level. If the first group experiences no significant side effects, the next group a higher dose. This continues in succeeding groups until the maximum tolerated study dose (highest dose that patients can be given safely) is determined.

Continuing standard treatment with additional cycles of pemetrexed and cisplatin.

Evaluations during the treatment period:

Physical examination, including vital signs and body weight checks, and pregnancy test for women who can become pregnant.

Assigned dose level of SS1(dsFv)PE38 on days 1, 3 &amp; 5 of a 21 day cycle for 2 cycles

Drug: Pemetrexed

500 mg/m2 on day 1 of each 21 day cycle until disease progression

Drug: Cisplatin

75 mg/m2 on day 1 of each 21 day cycle until disease progression

Experimental: 2

Single cycle cohort

Drug: Pemetrexed

500 mg/m2 on day 1 of each 21 day cycle until disease progression

Drug: Cisplatin

75 mg/m2 on day 1 of each 21 day cycle until disease progression

Biological: Single cycle SS1P

Patients 1 - 3 of single cycle cohort. 45 mcg/kg of SS1(dsFv)PE38 on 4 or 5 days (depending on dose level) of cycle 1 only.

Detailed Description:

Background:

SS1P (dsFv) PE38, is a recombinant immunotoxin targeting the tumor antigen mesothelin that is highly expressed in malignant mesothelioma. The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of SS1 dsFv has been established in a phase I study.

Combination therapy with pemetrexed plus cisplatin is the standard first line therapy for malignant mesothelioma, but results in a median overall survival of only 12.1 months.

Combination of SS1(dsFv)PE38 with pemetrexed plus cisplatin could result in improved outcomes for patients with mesothelioma.

Objectives:

To determine the MTD of SS1(dsFv)PE38 that can be safely administered in combination with pemetrexed plus cisplatin in patients with mesothelioma.

To characterize the toxicity profile of SS1(dsFv)PE38.

To study the pharmacokinetics of SS1(dsFv)PE388.

To observe anti-tumor activity, if any of SS1(dsFv)PE38 in combination with pemetrexed plus cisplatin.

This is a phase I dose-escalation study of SS1(dsFv)PE38 in combination with pemetrexed plus cisplatin.

The dose of pemetrexed plus cisplatin will be the standard dose approved for malignant mesothelioma. The dose of SS1(dsFv)PE38 will be escalated to find the safe dose in combination with pemetrexed plus cisplatin.

SS1(dsFv)PE38 will be administered concurrently with pemetrexed plus cisplatin in cycles one and two, and subjects will receive additional cycles of pemetrexed and cisplatin as per standard practice.

Patients will be assessed for response every 6 weeks.

An additional Single Cycle of SS1(dsFv)PE38 Cohort will involve up to 16 patients who will receive SS1(dsFv)PE38 administered for four or five doses during the first cycle concurrently with pemetrexed and cisplatin; subjects in this cohort will receive additional

cycles of pemetrexed and cisplatin as per standard practice

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years to 100 Years (Adult, Senior)

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

Subjects must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible to participate in the study:

Subjects must have histologically confirmed epithelial or biphasic pleural mesothelioma not amenable to potentially curative surgical resection. However, patients with biphasic tumors that have a predominantly sarcomatoid component will be excluded.

Measurable disease

Subjects must be greater than or equal to 18 years old

Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) of greater than or equal to 70

Life expectancy of greater than 3 months, as assessed by the principal investigator.

Adequate organ function with:Hepatic function: serum transaminases (either ALT or AST) or bilirubin, less than or equal to Grade 1, unless due to cancer or Gilbert s disease; less than or equal to Grade 2, if due to cancer

Renal function: serum creatinine clearance greater than or equal to 60mL/min as estimated by Cockroft-Gault formula.

Documented and ongoing central nervous system involvement with their malignant disease (history of CNS involvement is not an exclusion criterion but the CNS metastases should have been adequately treated (radiation or surgical resection) and subjects are free from symptoms for 3 months off steroids).

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Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01445392